Skip to main content
Advertisement

Main menu

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Accepted manuscripts
    • Issue in progress
    • Latest complete issue
    • Issue archive
    • Archive by article type
    • Special issues
    • Subject collections
    • Sign up for alerts
  • About us
    • About Development
    • About the Node
    • Editors and Board
    • Editor biographies
    • Travelling Fellowships
    • Grants and funding
    • Workshops and Meetings
    • The Company of Biologists
    • Journal news
  • For authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Aims and scope
    • Presubmission enquiries
    • Article types
    • Manuscript preparation
    • Cover suggestions
    • Editorial process
    • Promoting your paper
    • Open Access
    • Biology Open transfer
  • Journal info
    • Journal policies
    • Rights and permissions
    • Media policies
    • Reviewer guide
    • Sign up for alerts
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Subscriptions
    • Feedback
  • COB
    • About The Company of Biologists
    • Development
    • Journal of Cell Science
    • Journal of Experimental Biology
    • Disease Models & Mechanisms
    • Biology Open

User menu

  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
Development
  • COB
    • About The Company of Biologists
    • Development
    • Journal of Cell Science
    • Journal of Experimental Biology
    • Disease Models & Mechanisms
    • Biology Open

supporting biologistsinspiring biology

Development

  • Log in
Advanced search

RSS  Twitter  Facebook  YouTube 

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Accepted manuscripts
    • Issue in progress
    • Latest complete issue
    • Issue archive
    • Archive by article type
    • Special issues
    • Subject collections
    • Sign up for alerts
  • About us
    • About Development
    • About the Node
    • Editors and Board
    • Editor biographies
    • Travelling Fellowships
    • Grants and funding
    • Workshops and Meetings
    • The Company of Biologists
    • Journal news
  • For authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Aims and scope
    • Presubmission enquiries
    • Article types
    • Manuscript preparation
    • Cover suggestions
    • Editorial process
    • Promoting your paper
    • Open Access
    • Biology Open transfer
  • Journal info
    • Journal policies
    • Rights and permissions
    • Media policies
    • Reviewer guide
    • Sign up for alerts
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Subscriptions
    • Feedback
SPOTLIGHT
An interview with Ben Scheres
Kathryn Senior
Development 2011 138: 181-182; doi: 10.1242/dev.062182
Kathryn Senior
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & tables
  • Info & metrics
  • PDF
Loading
Figure1
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint

Ben Scheres is an expert in plant development. He has been investigating development in Arabidopsis at Utrecht University, The Netherlands, since 1990, where his group uses the root tip as an easily accessible supply of plant stem cells. Ben agreed to be interviewed by Development to talk about his interest in stem cells and the beauty of self-organisation in plants.

When did you first realise you were going to follow a science career?

When I was 14, we visited a fancy science museum called `Evoluon' and I bumped into a very lucid explanation of how DNA `encoded life'. I still remember the big spiral staircase model and the impression it made on me. Even as a small kid I had often wondered how life works – and here was a model that seemed to make it possible to start to understand some of that!

What first made you interested in stem cell research in plants?

For my PhD, I chose a research project in the field of plant-microbe interactions. At that time, breakthrough papers in fly and worm development were appearing thick and fast and I was fascinated by them. I realised, then, that we were nowhere near being able to describe the development of plants in similar detail. I looked for a plant system that had the same clear cellular relationships that we see in C. elegans and would present similar genetic possibilities. It was also important for the system to have the developmental flexibility that characterises plants. Arabidopsis roots fitted the bill and I have been hooked on them ever since.

What is the most striking difference between animal and plant stem cells?

First of all, plants do not set apart a germline, so all stem cells are somatic. In animals, many somatic stem cells have quite a restricted potential, but this is not the case in plants. There are far fewer restrictions and stem cells can also be easily regenerated. Induced pluripotent stem cells in animals have created quite a stir but this is no big deal in plants. Of course, this raises lots of questions and we'd like to understand much better what determines this difference.

What research question is on your mind at the moment?

Our work in plant stem cells is looking into the regulatory networks that span many levels of organisation, from molecular complexes to tissue mechanics. It is becoming very clear that gene and protein networks in plants are intimately intertwined. Our group and others focusing on this area have used mathematical and computational modelling, as well as experimental work, to show that these feedback circuits can generate spontaneous patterning processes from stem cell groups. However, we still need to define key components, work out how circuits operating at different levels connect, and develop models that will help us to understand the self-organising aspects of pattern formation in much greater depth.

Induced pluripotent stem cells in animals have created quite a stir but [are] no big deal in plants

Where would you like to be and what would you like to be doing in 20 years time?

That's a difficult one. In my mind, goals are floating objects and are likely to change a lot over 20 years. I guess I don't care where I will be. As long as I am close enough to nature to enjoy the outdoors and still interested in understanding things.

I am encouraged when I see plant and animal developmental biologists engaging in animated and exciting discussions

When did you become an Editor at Development and what do you hope to achieve?

I joined the team in 2001 as the successor of Keith Roberts. Keith did an incredible job getting the plant community connected to Development, so I was able to simply jump on the bandwagon. I wanted to be an Editor of Development because I believe very strongly that plant biologists have interesting insights that can help all developmental biologists. I still want to do more to achieve full integration, if only because few people seem to have the time anymore to scroll through the entire contents of a journal. I am encouraged when I see plant and animal developmental biologists engaging in animated and exciting discussions and hope that I can do my bit to facilitate more of these in the future.

What do you enjoy about your role with the journal?

Research papers that come in often report a really interesting observation but then raise a whole load of questions. It is great to witness how many of these manuscripts mature through the review process and achieve an end product that pleases the authors, reviewers, myself and, ultimately, the Development readership. This maturation process, which reflects an interplay between the authors, reviewers and editor, is an excellent example of how to work synergistically.

What do you feel is the main benefit of the journal in this field of science?

The journal provides a continuous stream of high-quality developmental biology research and reports work in very diverse systems. The production quality to cost ratio is excellent and the journal always comes across as being highly professional.

What do you do to take a break from science?

Many things, but mainly lots of sports. Failing to follow the advice of `don't teach an old dog new tricks', my sons have forced me to learn snowboarding. I do manage to stay on the board to some extent, which means there is hope, but I have also become quite addicted, which also means that there will probably be damage...

If you left science and stem cell research, what would you most enjoy as a second career?

I think I would become a Zen Monk.

What would people be most surprised to learn about you?

Well...let's try one...most papers that I read are not about plants.

  • © 2011.
Previous ArticleNext Article
Back to top
Previous ArticleNext Article

This Issue

 Download PDF

Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Development.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
An interview with Ben Scheres
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Development
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Development web site.
Share
SPOTLIGHT
An interview with Ben Scheres
Kathryn Senior
Development 2011 138: 181-182; doi: 10.1242/dev.062182
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
SPOTLIGHT
An interview with Ben Scheres
Kathryn Senior
Development 2011 138: 181-182; doi: 10.1242/dev.062182

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Alerts

Please log in to add an alert for this article.

Sign in to email alerts with your email address

Article navigation

  • Top
  • Article
  • Figures & tables
  • Info & metrics
  • PDF

Related articles

Cited by...

More in this TOC section

  • CRISPR babies: a view from the centre of the storm
  • How can developmental biology help feed a growing population?
  • Improving the visibility of developmental biology: time for induction and specification
Show more SPOTLIGHT

Similar articles

Other journals from The Company of Biologists

Journal of Cell Science

Journal of Experimental Biology

Disease Models & Mechanisms

Biology Open

Advertisement

The people behind the papers – Masanori Kawaguchi, Kota Sugiyama and Yoshiyuki Seki

Yoshiyuki Seki, Kota Sugiyama and Masanori Kawaguchi

Masanori Kawaguchi, Kota Sugiyama and Yoshiyuki Seki at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan tell us the story behind their research addressing the evolution of pluripotency with an analysis of the function of PRDM14 in zebrafish, amphioxus and sea urchin.


Primer - JAK/STAT signaling in stem cells and regeneration: from Drosophila to vertebrates

Part of Fig. 3: JAK/STAT signaling in homeostasis and regeneration in the Drosophila intestine

Read this Primer by Salvador Herrera and Erika Bach to get an overview of the role of JAK/STAT signaling in stem cells and regeneration in Drosophila testis, intestine and appendages and see the similarities between Drosophila and vertebrates.


Spotlight - Improving the visibility of developmental biology: time for induction and specification

Developmental biology has achieved many amazing accomplishments over the years, but the field needs to consider new strategies for increasing its visibility within the wider scientific community, writes Leonard Zon.


Research Highlight - A deeper look at human retina development

Human eye

Majlinda Lako and colleagues share an integrated transcriptional and immunohistochemical analysis of human retinogenesis in vivo. Read the highlight and the full Human Development article


Call for papers: Chromatin and Epigenetics

Call for papers: Chromatin and Epigenetics

Development is pleased to welcome submissions for an upcoming Special Issue on ‘Chromatin and Epigenetics’, edited by Benoit Bruneau, Haruhiko Koseki, Susan Strome and Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla. This special issue aims to showcase the best research covering the chromatin-based and epigenetic mechanisms which regulate development across the plant and animal kingdoms. Submission deadline: 31 March 2019. 


PreLights – A direct and widespread role for the nuclear receptor EcR in mediating the response to ecdysone in Drosophila

PreLighter Natalie Dye

Extensive and dynamic genome binding by a steroid hormone receptor highlights the interconnection between systemic and local cues for organ development, shows a preprint written by Christopher Uyehara and Daniel McKay and highlighted by Natalie Dye.


Articles of interest in our sister journals

The ubiquitin ligase HECTD1 promotes retinoic acid signaling required for development of the aortic arch
Kelsey F. Sugrue, Anjali A. Sarkar, Linda Leatherbury, Irene E. Zohn
Disease Models & Mechanisms 2019 12: dmm036491

Maintenance of cell fates and regulation of the histone variant H3.3 by TLK kinase in Caenorhabditis elegans
Yukimasa Shibata, Yoshiyuki Seki, Kiyoji Nishiwaki
Biology Open 2019 8: bio038448

Articles

  • Accepted manuscripts
  • Issue in progress
  • Latest complete issue
  • Issue archive
  • Archive by article type
  • Special issues
  • Subject collections
  • Sign up for alerts

About us

  • About Development
  • About the Node
  • Editors and board
  • Editor biographies
  • Travelling Fellowships
  • Grants and funding
  • Workshops and Meetings
  • The Company of Biologists

For authors

  • Submit a manuscript
  • Aims and scope
  • Presubmission enquiries
  • Article types
  • Manuscript preparation
  • Cover suggestions
  • Editorial process
  • Promoting your paper
  • Open Access
  • Biology Open transfer

Journal info

  • Journal policies
  • Rights and permissions
  • Media policies
  • Reviewer guide
  • Sign up for alerts

Contact

  • Contact Development
  • Subscriptions
  • Advertising
  • Feedback

 Twitter   YouTube   LinkedIn

© 2019   The Company of Biologists Ltd   Registered Charity 277992